Bit gauge



Patented Oct. l, 1929 UNITED -STATES CHARLES C. MORGAN) OF CAMBRIDGE, OHIO BIT GAUGE Application filed May 28,

My invention relates to improvements in gauges, and has particular reference to a gauge for use in connection with bits used in1x drilling wells, such as oil wells, or the li e. As is well known, a great deal of trouble is caused in the drilling and operation of wells, such as oil wells, by the hole being drilled crooked or inclined, instead of perpendicular. Where the hole is drilled crooked at any point, it frequently becomes necessary to abandon the well, and where the hole is inclined, the operation of the well is seriously impaired.

believe that there are two principal causes of the drilling of crooked or inclined wells. One cause is the fact that the drilling stem or rod is bent or angularly disposed, at one or more points, thus causing the bit to be suspended out of the perpendicular. rllhe second cause is that the bit is improperly dressed, whereby the beveled edges at the working end of the bit are thrown olf of dead center, causing .the bit to improperly function. The bits are ordinarily dressed by a blacksmith and the dressing operation consists in heating the same to a red heat and then sledging or hammering the same to produce the Working end. In this dressing of the bit, it frequently happens that the inclined working faces of the bit are worked off of dead center. As a result of this, there is more metal upon one side of the bit than upon the other. When this occurs, the bit will work improperly, and in addition, the side ofthe bit having the least metal will quickly wear down, increasing the inefficiency of the bit. As far as I am aware, in the dressing of the bits, the blacksmith or mechanic relies upon his judgment in determining the accuracy of the dressing, and this accounts for the number of bits in operation, which have been improperly dressed.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a gauge embodying an attaching member or sleeve which is adapted to be applied to a part of the bit which is accurately machined, and known to be true. This sleeve or attaching element may be applied to the 1928. Serial No. 281,095.

shank of the bit or to the pin carried by the shank, or to any other part o f the bit which is true and accurately machined. The attaching element or sleeve carries an arm which extends longitudinally of the bit, the major portion of this arm preferably being parallel with the central longitudinal aXis of the bit. A gauge element, having a circular opening to receive the dressed end of the bit, is carried by the arm. The accuracy of the dressing of the bit may be readily determined by viewing the dressed end withinI the gauge element.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bit gauge embodying my invention,

Figure 2 isa plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a front end elevation of the device, showing the same in use,

Figure 1 is a rear end elevation of the same,

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the attaching means for the arm,

Figure 6 is an end elevation of a modified form of attaching element or sleeve,

Figure 7 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of thel bit, showing the sameproperly dressed, an

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the bit improperly dressed. y

Inthe drawings, wherein for thepurpose of illustration, isshown apreferred embodiment of my invention,the numeral 10 designates a bit, of the type which is used for drilling oil wells,iorv the like. This bit may 9@ be of the usual construction and embodies a body portion 11, having a lower or forward working end 12, which is dressed to provide beveled faces 13, extending in opposite directions from a line 14. The formation of these bevel faces produce excess metal 15, upon opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis 16, of the bit. The body portion 11 is provided at its upper end with` a preferably flat portion 17, which may be engaged by a tool for turning the bit, and this flat portion .carries a cylindrical shank 18, in turn provided with a tapered screw-threaded pin 19. I n the manufacture of bits of this character, it is customary to accurately machine the parts 18 and 19 of the bit, and in determining the accuracy of the dressing of the bit, such accuracy is determined by my gauge which 1s carried by the parts 18 and 19, or some other part of the bit, which is known to be accurate.

The gauge embodies an attaching element or sleeve 20, preferably formed in sections 21. rl`hese sections are connected upon one side by a hinge 22, and are adapted fto be connected upon their opposite side by .a quick acting latch 23, of any well known or preferred type. It is preferred to have this attaching element or sleeve formed i separable sections, so that it may be `quickry applied to and removed from the shank 18, but the invention isnot necessarily restricted to this precise construction, as the sleeve might be made integral, and slipped upon tl e shank 18 by a longitudinal. movement.

instead of employing the two-part attaching element or sleeve 20, l may employan integral attaching element or sleeve 2li, having a tapered screw-threaded opening 25. rllhis sleeve is adapted to be mounted upon the tapered pin 19, of the bit. A sleeve of this type may also be mounted upon the pin of a rotary or lish tail bit.

Each of the sleeves 20 and 211 is provided with a radially extending lug 26, preferably formed integral therewith, and this lug is provided with an opening 27. Forwardly of this lug, the sleeve is provided with a longitudinal groove-28, the opening and groove being in alinement and preferably formed rectangular in cross section.

The numeral 29 designates a supporting arm, which is preferably longitudinally adjustable, and for this purpose, it is formed in forward and rear sections 30 and 31. To provide for the relative longitudinal adjustment between the sections, the rear section 31 may be provided with a tubular socket 32, receiving the shank 33 of the forward section, these telescoping parts being preferably square in cross section. rlhe socket 32 is equipped with a clamping bolt 34 to lock the parts together, as is obvious. restricted to the precisev construction for effecting the longitudinal adjustmentI between the arm sections, as any other suitable means may be employed for this purpose. The in-` termediate portion of the arm section 31 is inclined downwardly toward its rear end and carries a preferably reduced extension 35, which is rectangular in cross section and provided with an upturned end 36. The reduced extension 35 is adapted for insertion through the opening 27 of the lug, with the upturned end 36 projecting above the opening, and the extension also resting within the groove 28.

rlheA invent-ion is'in no senseV By this means, the arm is attached to the sleeve, and held against improper movements, but may be quickly and easily removed from the sleeve, by swinging the same upwardly with relation thereto. lvVhen the arm 29 is held in the operative position, with respect to vthe bit, its forward portion, which extends throughout the major portion of the length of the arm is parallel with the central longitudinal axis of the bit.

The numeral 37 designates a gauge element or ring having a circular opening 38, to receive the dressed end of the bit. This gauge element carries a radial extension 39, provided with a rectangular opening 110, to slidably receive the forward flattened end 11, of the forward arm section 30. The gauge element 37 can not turn upon the extension l1, but may be adjusted longitudinally thereof, so that it may be brought into proper relation to the dressed end of the bit.

This operation is used where the desired adjustment is slight, but where there is to be considerable longitudinal adjustment of the gauge element with respect to the dressed end of the bit, as where one bit may have been dressed down for several inches, such adj ustment is effected by longitudinally adjusting the supporting arm 29, by moving arm section 30 with relation to arm section 31.

' ln the operation of the gauge, the attaching element or sleeve is applieclto the shank 18, or the pin 19, or other part of the bit, known to be accurate or true, and may be clamped to such part. The forward or working end of the bit may now be heated and dressed, such operation usually occurring upon an anvil. After the dressing has proceeded to a point whereby the operator or `mechanic wishes to test the accuracy of his work, the working end of the bit still being heated, the armA 29 may be quickly applied to the sleeve, and will be properly positioned longitudinally of the bit. The gauge element 37 is now slipped upon lthe forward end 41 of the supporting arm, and also passed over the dressed end of the bit. lf the dressing has been accurate, all portions of the dressed end will be concentric with the wall of the circular opening 38, Figure 3. This will be the case if the faces 13 of the dressed end are at dead center with the longitudinal axis of the bit, as shown in Figure 8. However, should these faces be oil of the center of the longitudinal axis 16, as shown in Figure 9, the dressed end of the bit will either not enter the gauge element, if the inaccuracy is considerable, but if the inaccuracy is but slight, the dressed end may enter the gauge element, but the eXcentricity will appear by the difference in the sizes of the spaces between the dressed end of the bit and the gauge element.

The gauge element functions to indicate whether or not the working end or face of the bit, including the faces 13, is concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the shank 18 or pin 19. The Working end or face is considered concentric when the cutting edge 14C is formed by the beveled faces 13 is in alinement with the central longitudinal axis of the shank or screw.

Now if it is necessary for the operator to further dress the bit, with the view to correcting inaccuracies in his work, the arm 29 may be quickly separated from the sleeve 20, and the arm and the gauge element immediately removed from the presence of the bit, whereby the operator may continue with the dressing operation before the bit has had time to cool unduly, or the operator may further heat the bit, if desired.

I contemplate using my gauge. with bits of dierent sizes. This is possible since the supporting arm 29 is longitudinally adjustable. The attaching sleeve 20 may be made with a bore of suiiicient size to receive a shank of the maximum diameter, and when the sleeve is applied to a smaller shank, filler sleeve or sleeves may be inserted within the sleeve 20. The same idea may be`applied to the sleeve 24, to be mounted upon the pin 19, instead of the shank.

The arm 29, extension 39 and opening 40 are so co-related that the gauge element 37 is. supported with its opening 38 concentric to the central longitudinal axis of the shank 18 or pin 19. The opening 38 may be made in a diameter to receive the dressed end of the bit of maximum diameter, and when the f gauge element is applied to smaller bits the opening 38 is made smaller, all openings 38 remaining concentric to the central longitudinal axis of the shank 18 and pin 19.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit oit' my invention, or the scope of the sub] oined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A gauge for determining the accuracy of the center of the dressed ends of drill bits, comprising an attaching element adapted to be mounted upon a part of the bit which is known to be accurate, an arm extending longitudinally of the bit and mounted upon the attaching element, and a gauge element carried by the arm and having a circular opening to receive the dressed end of the bit, the arrangement being such that the gauge element is supported with its circular opening concentric with the central longitudinal axis of said part of the bit upon which the attaching element is mounted.

2. A gauge for determining the accuracy of the center of the dressed ends of drill bits,

fcomprising a gauge element having a circular opening to receive the dressed end of the bit, and means for attaching the gauge element to a part of the bit known to be accurate, whereby the opening of the gauge element is concentric with the central longitudinal axis of said part.

3. A gauge for determining the accuracy of the center of the dressed ends of drill bits, comprising an attaching element to be mounted upon a part of the bit known to be accurate, an arm detachably connected with the attaching element and extending longitudinally of the bit, and a gauge element detachably mounted upon the arm and having a gauge opening to receive the dressed end of the bit..

t. A gauge for determining the accuracy of the center of the dressed ends of drill bits, comprising an attaching element to be mounted upon a part ofthe bit known to be accurate, an arm detachably connected with the attaching element and extending longitudinally of the bit, and a gauge element slidably mounted upon the arm and having a gauge opening for receiving the dressed end of the bit.

5. A gauge for determining the accuracy of the center of the dressed ends of drill bits, comprising an attaching element to be mounted upon a part of a bit known to be accurate, an arm detachably connected with the attaching element and embodying relatively longitudinally adjustable arm sections, and a gaugey element having an opening to receive the dressed end of the bit and carrying an extension provided with an opening slidably receiving one arm section.

6. A gauge for determining the accuracy of the center of the dressed ends of the drill bits, comprising an attaching sleeve to be mounted upon a part of the bit known to be accurate, said sleeve having a lug provided with an opening and a longitudinal groove positioned forwardly of the lug, an arm provided with a rear portion having an upturned end, the upturned end adapted for insertion through the opening and said rear portion adapted for insertion within the groove, the arm being thus detachably connected to the sleeve and extending longitudinally of the bit, and a gauge element carried by the arm and having an opening to receive the dressed end of the bit.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES G. MORGAN. 

